


Outside, life goes on

by Making_excuses



Series: Collection: Christian Horner/Kimi Räikkönen [2]
Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: M/M, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-19
Updated: 2015-03-19
Packaged: 2018-03-18 15:38:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3574815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Making_excuses/pseuds/Making_excuses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Set right after the Australian GP 2015.</b><br/>Christian is alone in his hotel room dealing with what the less than optimal race weekend, Sebastian leaving him (Red Bull) and the fact that Kimi can’t join him because he is busy celebrating with Ferrari. None of it would have been a problem if Sebastian was still a Red Bull driver.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Outside, life goes on

**Author's Note:**

> As always a huge thanks to my _person_ , Ciro0, who has spent more time on this than could be reasonably asked of by anyone. 
> 
> Also this story is loosely in the same universe as the previous one, but not so much that you have to read it to get this one.

Finally getting back to his hotel room after a disastrous weekend, Christian left his bag by the door before walking into the bathroom. Getting into the shower to wash the day away, he was also trying to figure out a plan for how to make the next race weekend more successful, even if he doubted they would get the engine to work well enough that fast. With the help of a couple of what he suspected would be escalating angrier correspondences with Renault, he hoped some progress would be made, hopefully before the next race weekend.

He was so unbelievably frustrated with this year’s car, and he didn’t expect it to get any better. He had suspected before this weekend that the Renault engine wasn’t performing optimally, but that they would get the trainwreck they did was a surprise, even to him.

********

Getting a bottle of scotch out of his bag, he looked down at the vodka that was also in the bag sparing a thought for the man he intended the bottle for. He got a glass from the dresser and got comfortable in the chair, turning on the television, settling on what looked like a show about lifeguards.

Christian wished Kimi would join him tonight, but he knew that wouldn’t happen. He’d be busy celebrating the podium finish with Sebastian and the rest of the Ferrari crew. It used to be so much easier when Sebastian was still _his_ driver. When he got on the podium Kimi could come and join the party and they could leave together. Now they didn’t have that, and Christian would not be welcome at a Ferrari party.

He wanted to give his former driver a hug and tell him how great he did today, he wanted to do a bit more with his teammate, but that would have to wait. For now, getting slightly drunk and watching shitty Australian reality television would have to do.

********

Waking up to what he assumed was someone knocking on his door, Christian got up from the chair he had clearly fallen asleep in. As he made his way over to the door, the knocking became more and more insistent the longer the person on the other side had to wait.

“I think this belongs with you.” A grinning, and by the looks of it, very drunk German was smiling up to him, with what he assumed from experience was an equally drunk Finn leaning on his shoulder.

“So I gather you had fun?” Christian tried to look like he was annoyed by the two drivers bothering him at this hour, but his glare lasted about half a second before he smiled at the two people who would always be a happy to see, no matter the time at night.

“Yes! The music wasn’t as good as before, Kimi refused to do shots and he doesn’t want to sing with me, even if I know he has sung in public before and no one else wanted to do karaoke with me,” Sebastian was rambling. Clearly the alcohol had had it’s intended effect on him.

Christian opened the door a bit wider, gesturing to his room. “Let’s finish this inside so we don’t bother the neighbours,” he clarified. As he walked in he could hear Sebastian tripping over the doorstep, so he clearly had reached the _can’t walk straight to save his shin_ s level of drunkenness. Kimi walked in behind Sebastian, smirking at his teammate’s clumsiness. Clearly he was less drunk than what Christian had assumed, and as he passed him Kimi brushed their hands together in lieu of a greeting.

Sebastian, on the other hand, was clearly _not_ more sober than what he had assumed. As Kimi sat down in the chair previously occupied by Christian, he started changing channels until he stopped on the first thing that showed sports. Sebastian remained standing. Having gotten Kimi to his intended location, he ignored his teammate and instead put his whole concentration on Christian, moving closer to him. He stopped as he got within arm’s reach, clearly not knowing his next move. Christian made the choice for him.

“Come here, Sebby” he said, opening his arms, barely having time to brace himself before he had his hands full of the German. He bent his head down. “I am proud of you,” he whispered before letting him go, the sadness he had felt when seeing _his_ driver get on the podium and not run up to him to celebrate was momentarily lifted. He knew that he had to let Sebastian go, he had left the team, and by doing that he should also have left Christian's list of people he was proud of for getting on the podium.

Sebastian smiled up at him, clearly having gotten what he had come for, even if it was in the guise of leaving Kimi at Christians doorstep. “Well I should go, there is still time to convince the team to do karaoke with me.” He waved at Kimi and started walking towards the door. As he put his hand on the doorknob, he turned around and smiled at Christian. “Thank you,” he said softly before walking out of the hotel room.

“Christian,” Kimi mumbled, looking up from his football match and getting Christian’s attention. “We missed you at the party,” he stated.

“I missed you too,” Christian replied, walking over to sit down in the chair next to Kimi’s, both of them paying attention to the game in comfortable silence.

“Would you have prefered it if Sebastian stayed with you?” Kimi asked, looking directly into Christians eyes before looking back on the screen, giving Christian a moment to collect his thoughts. Christian wasn’t sure what he should tell Kimi, if he should tell him the truth, that the reason he tried to get him signed at Red Bull wasn’t only because of his talent. More importantly, he wanted to keep Sebastian in the team. That if he could have his way he would rather have Sebastian in Red Bull than any other driver, that in that sense Kimi came second.

“I would have prefered it if I could have both of you,” Christian replied, leaving the rest of the explanation unsaid. Turning his head towards Kimi he saw the man contemplating his answer. He tried to convey how happy he was that he had come to him instead of going back to his own room. The truth was that he missed Sebastian in his team, but he always missed having Kimi by his side.

“You do.” Kimi stated, extending his arm towards Christian, turning his palm up, reaching out to join their fingers. Christian instantly felt better by the simple gesture. Both of them turned their attention back to the television, keeping their hands intertwined.

When the game ended Kimi got up from his chair, moving so he was standing in front of Christian, giving his hand a slight tug to get him to stand up. Christian ended up standing in front of Kimi, who smiled before he kissed Christian’s cheek. Letting go of his hand, Kimi tilted his head towards the bathroom, Christian nodded in response to the unvoiced inquiry.

Moments later Christian heard the shower running in the bathroom. He refilled his glass with scotch before looking in one of his suitcases for an extra pair of pyjamas trousers, leaving them on the bed. Walking up to the window, Christian looked out at Melbourne, letting his mind wander, noticing the pattern of the cars driving on the roads.

Like most times when Christian let his mind wander, he ended up thinking about his driver, even if Sebastian wasn’t as much _his_ anymore, emotionally it was still the case. He wasn’t sure how right Kimi was when he said that they were both his, he knew Sebastian still needed him, he wouldn’t have come to his room tonight if that wasn’t the case. He also knew that Sebastian didn’t leave him, he left the team, leaving him was just an unfortunate side effect of following his dream. Kimi also seemed to be sure that Sebastian still needed him, and Kimi didn’t state things if he wasn’t sure of, that didn’t mean it hurt less that Seb left, but it made it easier, knowing it wasn’t something he did that made Sebastian leave.

He startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder, before relaxing into the touch. Turning around, he reached up and put his hand at the back of Kimi’s head, resting their foreheads together for a moment before he embraced him, enjoying the feeling of familiarity.

“When are you leaving Australia?” Christian asked Kimi, hoping his plane didn’t leave too early so they could at the very least have breakfast together before they had to leave their separate ways.

“Tomorrow afternoon,” Kimi replied before kissing him softly, untangling himself from the embrace before walking to the bed. Christian turned back around to look out of the window, taking a moment to settle his thoughts, thanking his lucky stars that Kimi was his, just as much as he was the same in return. Christian turned around smiling down at Kimi before joining the driver.

Getting comfortable in the bed, he felt Kimi moving closer until he ended up wrapped around him. Resting his head on Christian's chest, he clasped their hands together. Even if Christian wouldn’t say it out loud he enjoyed the times Kimi came to his bed less than sober. The normally reserved Finn would wrap himself around him before falling asleep, instead of after.

“Do you want to stay?” Christian posed.

“Where do you mean?” Kimi replied, looking up at Christian, his facial expression not revealing his feeling on the subject at hand. “With you?” he posed. At the last part he smiled, even if it was just for a moment, before resting his head back down on Christian.

“With Ferrari,” Christian clarified, feeling Kimi nod in response to his question.

After what felt like minutes, Kimi raised his head again, looking straight into Christian’s eyes. “Sebastian didn’t want to leave you. If he could have stolen you away from Red Bull, he would,” Kimi softly stated, giving him the answer to the question he was too scared to ask. With the statement Christian’s mind settled, like so many other times Kimi knew what Christian needed to hear, even if he didn’t himself.

Instead of answering him he tightened his grip on Kimi trying to convey how grateful he was that he understood him. He felt Kimi relaxing into his body, letting the conversation end there as the driver must be exhausted after the race weekend, even if his race got cut short. Moments later he heard Kimi’s breath even out in sleep. He kissed his forehead, trying to let his mind go blank so he could join him in sleep, momentarily envying Kimi’s ability to fall asleep at the drop of a hat.

**Author's Note:**

>  **Disclaimer** No money is made, the characters only share a name with real people, I am not in any way shape or form saying that either of them has done any of what I have written.


End file.
